Mask Of Joy
by Saccrior
Summary: Two years after Mask Of Pain, Annabeth is a trained agent of ARGUS. Number 3, now Percy, has been trained to use his 'super' powers by Lupa. The Olympian Council is silent. A rising threat forces seven to unite and work together to protect the world from Gaea a powerful tyrant who seeks to destroy it.
1. Chapter 1

**Mask Of Joy**

 **Chapter 1**

 **Annabeth's POV**

 _5_ _th_ _of April 2016_

Annabeth readjusted, for the hundredth time, the fake black rimmed glasses on her nose, as she read the levels going up in the near full elevator she stood in. She tapped her hand against her thigh as she eagerly waited for the doors to open. The five other people in the elevator didn't look that excited.

The three men all wore grey suits, but the similarities stopped there. One was shorter than the other two, and one was blonde while the other two were brown. They looked between their late twenties and early thirties. She felt quite uncomfortable as one of them kept starring at her.

The two other people were women who were in their early thirties and wore tight dresses. Annabeth guessed those two were invited to the public announcement on the last level of the skyscraper.

She hadn't been invited, naturally, but Grover managed to find a place for her by making her a reporter for one day. Thankfully with a little help, she found the right disguise to pass as one.

She had decided to put her curly blonde hair in a reverse bun with two loose curls that framed her face. She wore a jam coloured trench coat over a short light grey t-shirt with a pair of skinny blue jeans and ankle high boots. She also took Percy's old reading glasses to pass the look. (Here's the link: )

The thought of Percy made her loose her focus. For just one second, her mask slipped and she had a series of images of Percy when they were young, laughing and mucking around with each other. She smiled sadly as she remembered their kiss. She could still taste his salty lips on hers.

She shook her head and let out a long breath, closing her eyes to stop the tears that threatened to fall. _Focus Annabeth. Now wasn't the time to think of him._

The tugging in her stomach stopped and the elevator doors opened with a _ding!_ She walked out onto the top floor of the skyscraper. There were about a hundred people taking, regrouped together over the entire room. The ceiling was a glass dome that was about three stories high. The sun shone through it, but the sun's brightness wasn't as strong, so she could look up at it for longer than three seconds without getting blinded.

"Annabeth?" a voiced called in her left ear. "Are you there yet?"

"Yeah," Annabeth whispered as she made her way towards one of the metal staircases that led to the second level that over looked the hundreds of people in front of the stage.

She tried to blend in with the few people on the second level leaning on the railing and at the same time keep her distance from them so they couldn't hear her talk to Grover.

"Okay, well you know what to do, remember?" Grover said in her ear. She didn't answer back as a waiter walked past with a plate full of glasses of champagne. She took one to blend in not stand out as and she took a sip. Mm it didn't taste too bad.

"Yes Grover," she whispered. "Now please go check on Butch and see if he's in position. If things go south….-"

She was suddenly cut off by everyone's cheering and clapping as a man walked on stage. He had sleek black hair, tan skin and pure white teeth. He was the target: Mr. Ellia.

"My dream was to create the world's most energy-efficient smart building that leaves no negative footprint on the environment." His voice carried around the room thanks to the mic at his lips. "Our new headquarters features climate-responsive technology."

There was a screen behind him that showed a 3D model of the skyscraper that was cylinder shaped, while another screen showed a drawing animation of the building, "Solar panels extend from the building when touched by light."

Annabeth had to admit she was impressed by what she saw. The architecture of the building was very impressive. The architect must have been quite talented.

"And the geothermal HVAC system was designed using laminar air flow," he said getting technical in his words. "That creates completely particle-free clean air in our environment."

The man a couple of feet beside her started applauding and everyone followed suit. She had a hard time clapping due to the glass of Champaign in her hand.

The crowd silenced as Mr. Ellia spoke again: "All of this was made possible using the input of the world's top architects and designers."

There was more applause before he raised his hand and the crowd slowly turned silent, "Now are there any questions?"

Almost immediately, five hands shot up from the front of the crowd. He smiled before he picked a woman on the far left, "Yes."

"I've been looking into your private funding," the woman said. "And you seem to have a lot of benefactors for a research institute."

"The world is changing miss," he said smiling at her. "Technology's gotten sexier." The crowd reacted with giggles and laughs.

She didn't give in to his smile. "Yeah, but your benefactors – I can't seem to find any of them."

"Very simple reason for that." He said as he leaned closer to the mic, "I killed them all and buried them in my backyard."

There were some small chuckles from the crowd at his joke as he smiled. Annabeth didn't buy his joke as she took another sip of her drink.

"How big is your backyard, Mr. Ellia?" the same woman asked.

He made a face like he wasn't sure, "At the last count, Wyoming."

Everyone chuckled as he smiled again when a man came on stage and whispered something in his ear. He nodded and the man left.

"Alright now if there aren't any more questions," he said. "Please, I invite all of you to tour the building and please, enjoy the food and drinks. Thanks for coming!"

There was another round of applause as he walked off the stage shaking hands at everyone he recognized as he made his way towards the elevator. _Here I go_ , she thought as she tipped her head back and drank the last of her champagne.

There was a passing waiter and she put her empty glass on his plate before she made her way down the metal staircase, passing people who spoke and laughed with each other and were basically enjoying themselves.

Reaching the end of the staircase, she never lost eyesight of Mr. Ellia who made his way through the crowd, stopping briefly to shake hands with random people.

A waiter past Annabeth and she quickly took a drink before she turned and accidentally bumped into Mr. Ellia spilling the champagne on his expensive suit.

Annabeth put her hands on her mouth fainting surprise, "Oh my god! I'm so so sorry! I was just taking a drink and I turned and everything happened so fast I- "

Mr. Ellia smiled at her and shook his head, "Don't worry, I have maybe a dozens of those back in my room."

He cocked his head as he looked at her. "We haven't met before," he said. "I think I would have remembered such a beautiful face, Miss…"

"Chase."

"Miss Chase..." He looked at her like she was some interesting specimen. "Sorry I don't recall you being on the guest list."

Annabeth looked back with a small smile and intertwining her fingers to make it look like she was nervous, "I'm sorry sir, I'm just a reporter who was hoping for an interview with you Mr. Ellia."

"A reporter, eh?" he raised his eyebrows at her.

She nodded, "Yes, sir."

"Please, call me James," he said putting a hand on his chest as he smiled at her. She smiled back. He looked at the elevator before he looked back at her, "It's kind of loud in here. Mind if we take this interview in my office?"

 _Perfect_. She nodded and he led her towards the elevator that stood on either side of the double doors. Mr. Ellia pressed the button and the elevator doors opened. They stepped in and he tapped the twentieth floor.

Just as the doors closed, Annabeth, who stood to his right, grabbed the back of his head and banged it hard against the elevator doors. He stumbled back dazed before she elbowed him in the nose so hard, it broke and he fell to the ground unconscious.

Annabeth stood over him just as the elevator stopped its descent and the doors opened to reveal Butch looking at her. Butch Walker was a bulky man, easily two heads taller than she was. He had a shaved head and his face was like a pile of bricks. He wore an orange shirt that showed the rainbow tattoo on his biceps. His pants were grey and he wore boots.

"Ah I see you took him out. Here, let me take him."

She stepped out of the way as the big man grabbed Mr. Ellia by the collar and put him on his shoulder. He turned and walked down the hallway with Annabeth by his side.

"So," Butch said looking down at Annabeth because of the height difference. "What's next?"

Annabeth rolled her eyes, "I seem to be the only one who remembers the mission." She sighed. "We capture Mr. Ellia, because we'll need him to open the safe in his office. A safe containing the list of TITAN hideouts, which will allow us to finish them off once and for all."

Butch nodded as they reached the end of the hallway, "It's about time we did, those bastards have been a pain since the start. I know how much they hurt you Annabeth, and I can't imagine what that mus-"

"Please," Annabeth cuts him off. "Please… I don't want to talk about it. Let's just finish this mission, the clock is ticking."

They stopped in front of a door that read: Mr. Ellia's office. Annabeth tried the handle, but it was locked. _Typical_ , she thought as she bended down and pulled a paper clip and a wrench from her pocket.

She first bended the paper clip straight and made a slight upwards bend at the end. She inserted the wrench in the lower part of the keyhole and figured out which way the lock needed to be turned by turning it clockwise and counter clockwise until she felt a slight give. She applied a little pressure before holding the wrench in place.

While keeping pressure on the lock, she inserted the paper clip in the top part of the keyhole. She then felt around the keyhole with the paper clip until she located the pins. She knew that most lock's had an average of five pins. This one had seven, but it wasn't a problem. It just meant it would take slightly longer.

One at a time, she pushed each pin up with the paper clip starting with the one furthest away from her before moving to the next. She applied slightly more pressure with the wrench until she had all the pins lifted up and she turned the wrench fully. The door opened with a click.

She retrieved the wrench and paper clip and stood back up straight. She pushed the door open wider and a motioned a hand for Butch. "C'mon."

"Where did you learn how to do that?" he asked amused.

She smiled, "You tube."

He raised an eyebrow at her before he stepped past her and entered the room. Annabeth followed him inside and closed the door behind them. Mr. Ellia's office was fairly big and rectangular shaped with the desk in the centre of the room. There was a wall behind it and a painting of Mr. Ellia himself hanging on it. There were two big windows on either side of the wall that looked over the New York skyline with the Empire state building in the distance.

Butch dropped Mr. Ellia on his wheelchair before he slapped the man in the face. He blinked several times before he groaned and clutched his bloody nose. It was maybe broken. _My bad_ , she thought.

He looked up at them with wide eyes, "Who-"

Butch didn't let him finish as he slapped him again and his cheek was turning bright red. Mr. Ellia glared at Butch, but he stayed quiet.

"Good," Butch said before looking back at Annabeth.

Annabeth nodded before she looked around the room and thought of where he could possibly have hidden his safe. Her eyes landed on the painting that hung on the wall and she smirked.

She looked back at Mr. Ellia. " _James_ , tell me where your safe is."

He blinked. "I don't have a safe in my office."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

She could tell he was lying through his teeth just with his body language and avoiding eye contact with her. It didn't matter as she already knew where it was. It was a simple test to see if he was honest.

"Butch," she said getting the big man's attention without losing eye contact with Mr. Ellia. "Do you mind taking that painting off the wall?"

He looked at her than at the painting and his eyes lit up. He smiled, "Not a problem."

He moved past Mr. Ellia and took the painting off the wall and dropped it on the floor. There, hidden by the painting seconds ago, was a safe with a digital screen and a code pad.

"Well what do you know," Annabeth said smirking at Mr. Ellia who had his jaw set and glared at her. She slapped him, hard. "You lied."

She then looked at Butch and he grabbed Mr. Ellia and lifted him up to his feet. Butch grabbed his hand and laid it on the digital screen. After a few seconds, the screen turned green, but the safe didn't open. There was still a code needed.

"Now enter the code," she told him. When he didn't react, Butch slapped him by the back of his head. He glared at both of them before he brought his hand up to the number pad and entered the code.

Once he tapped the last number, there was a clicking sound and the safe opened slightly. Butch shoved Mr. Ellia away as Annabeth came to stand in front of it. She opened it and her eyes widened. "What?"

"What what?" Butch and Mr. Ellia asked at the same time.

She stepped to the side so the two could see what was inside. Or more like what wasn't. There were no files, nothing. The safe was empty. Mr. Ellia looked stunned.

"How-" he started before he swallowed the lump in his throat as he stared at the empty safe with wide eyes. He was at loss of words. "It's impossible. That safe is impenetrable."

Annabeth looked back at the safe door and she sighed. "Nothing is impenetrable," she said tracing a finger on the safe door, there slight bumps on it as if it were forced open. "Whoever did this was very _strong_."

"Annabeth," Butch said looking at her. "You don't think-?"

"I do," she said.

"Uh, I don't follow," Mr. Ellia said looking between them. "Listen whoever you are people. I'm not your enemy."

"Oh yeah?" Butch asked looking down at him. "Then how come you've got ties to the most dangerous terrorist group on the planet?"

"Wait, I can explain," he said lifting his hands up in front of him as he took a step back.

"Yes," Annabeth said. "You will tell us everything… back at base." She turned to Butch. "If you will?"

"My pleasure," he said and before Mr. Ellia could do anything, Butch knocked him out with a powerful punch to his temple.

Butch picked his limb body up and threw him over his shoulder and they made their way out of the office. "So you really think it's him?"

Annabeth looked in front of her not meeting her partner's eyes. "It's no coincidence. The only other one who survived the test… he died. I know it's him, it has to, and I count on bringing him back."

"But how can you be so sure it's him?" Butch asked as they reached the elevator. "I mean, there have only been a couple cases like this, but I mean how? No one ever saw him. We don't even know it's a 'he'."

"I just know!" she said a bit louder than she should have. She let out a shaky breath, before she spoke normally. "I just know, ok? I don't know how, but it has to be him. It has to be _Percy Jackson_."


	2. Chapter 2

**Mask Of Joy**

 **Chapter 2**

 **Annabeth's POV**

Annabeth could feel Mr. Ellia's eyes on her from where he sat opposite her while Butch drove the Quinjet. She was entranced by her phone as it was a 30 min flight she didn't have anything better to do.

She sighed after feeling his gaze on her for the past twenty minutes and looked away from her phone screen to meet his gaze directly. He had his arms cuffed behind his back which, she imagined, must have been very uncomfortable.

He smiled at her, though she didn't return it. She just stared back at him with a blank look. She still wore the reporter disguise as well as the glasses even though she didn't need them, but she kept them anyway.

After a whole minute of starring at each other, she gave in. "What?"

"Nothing…" he smiled and she glared at him. He cleared his throat nervously. "Sorry it's just… you look so young. How old are you? Twenty two? Twenty one?"

"My age is of no concern of yours," she said.

"Aw too bad. How about your name? Is it really Miss Chase?"

Annabeth didn't answer. He studied her for a second before he pursed his lips and scrunched his eyebrows. "At least answer me this: who are you people?"

She smiled at him. "Since you have ties to the TITAN organization, you must recall ARGUS, no?"

His eyes widened in surprise. "You? You work for ARGUS?"

"Yes."

"That explains a lot." He gulped and looked away for a second as if thinking before meeting her eyes once more. "Listen I don't know what you want from me, but I can assure you I'm not your enemy."

"You already said that."

"It's true," he said. "Whatever you thought you'd find in my safe…"

"You know what we were looking for," Annabeth said.

"Really?" he asked unbelieving. "My suitcase full of money? Or that old manuscript?"

Annabeth frowned at him. "What old manuscript?"

He sighed. "A couple years ago, an old friend of mine worked for the TITANs. He was mad, he was. He had discovered a new source of power that the TITANs wanted to use."

He cleared his throat before he continued. "But as he finished, he gave me his manuscript, his life's work. He had told me to keep it safe. It was the last time I ever saw him. When I tried to contact him again, well he was…"

He choked and looked up at Annabeth with sad eyes. "The TITANs found out that I had the manuscript and they wanted to exchange it by being my secret benefactors so I could finish my eco-friendly building and power this bomb my friend developed."

Annabeth remembered the miniature sun that Luke had used. This mad scientist was the reason why Percy was gone. She glared at Mr. Ellia with pure hatred. "And you accepted, didn't you?"

He looked at her in horror. "No!"

She frowned. "What do you mean? You said-"

"I said that they needed my building to power their weapon, but I didn't know that until two years ago and I confronted them about it." He shook his head. "That's when I learnt what they truly were. But, it was already too late as they had enough data to build their weapon for what they wanted."

Annabeth stayed silent thinking about what he had said. She couldn't really blame him for what happened two years ago as he hadn't known he was part of it. The TITANs had been the true enemy, but now they're gone, except for the few that still lived scattered all around the world.

She sighed before she looked back at him as he looked down at his feet. She frowned. "Why are you telling me this, anyway? You could've confessed at the interrogation?"

He shook his head. "No, I needed to justify myself," he said. "And… well I don't know why, but I feel like… I can trust you… for some reason."

A smile played on her lips without realizing. "What about the one who beat us to that safe? You looked surprised when you saw it empty, so I'm guessing you didn't know, which means you have no idea who could have beaten us to it, right?"

"Yeah, about that… why did you take my safe again?" he asked motioning his head to the square safe sitting on the seat next to him. Annabeth had decided to take it with them for further analysis as she believed there was a pattern between this safe and all the other safe's that have been opened in the past few months.

"Further analysis," she replied looking at the safe. "There might be some kind of pattern with all the other reported cases of safe's being opened by brute force. I don't believe it to be a coincidence."

He frowned. "Yeah I think I recalled you saying that before that guy knocked the living daylights out of me!" he yelled at Butch in the cockpit.

"Well it seems like you're not like the big bad guy I imagined you to be," Annabeth said.

"I told you," he said leaning forward as much as the seatbelt allowed him. "I'm _not_ your enemy."

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"Annabeth?"

She shook her head back to reality. She sat at the Situation Analysis table with Chiron at the head of the table. He hadn't changed much in two years. Or maybe it's because she spends so much time with him that she doesn't notice the difference.

Either way, he still had mid length brown hair, bushy eyebrows and a scruffy beard that had grown longer through winter. He was still in his high tech wheelchair and he wore the same style of formal clothing: An open green two button suit over a grey jumper with the white collar of his shirt poking around his neck. A dark set of straight pants and brown boots. (Here's the link: chirons_outfit_2016/set?id=215783592)

He eyed her across the table with his intense brown eyes that were full of knowledge, warmth and kindness. Two other sets of eyes also starred at her from around the table. They belonged to Grover Underwood, he'd grown on her and was one of her best friends, he was her handler; Will Solace, another friend of hers that had joined ARGUS around the same time as her, he belonged to the medical staff and proved to be an exceptional doctor.

Chiron had been the one who had spoken. As she starred at him in blankly, he continued. "Are you alright?"

She nodded. "Yes, just… thinking."

"About?"

"The reported safes opened in the past months. They all said that the safes had been opened by brute force. I don't believe it's a coincidence and I intend to find the link between them."

Grover frowned at her. "You mean these aren't random? You think whoever's opening these safes is like… looking for something?"

"Yes," she said.

"But what?" Will asked.

"Well," Annabeth said biting her lip. "I do believe it has something to do with this German scientist," she said as she pushed the file in front of her across the table to Chiron who quickly read through it.

"German scientist? What, like some former Nazi or something?" Will asked. "I wouldn't be surprised if he worked for the TITANs."

"But what does this German scientist have anything to do with safes?" Grover asked confused.

"Well he was supposedly the one who discovered how to create that fusion energy that TITANs changed to a fusion bomb two years ago."

Chiron passed the file over to Grover and Will. As they opened it and read through the file, Chiron asked: "How do you know about this German scientist?"

"Mr. Ellia told me," she said.

"Did he now?" Chiron looked impressed. "He must trust you."

She sighed. "He did say… something like that."

Chiron nodded. "Well, as Mr. Ellia is interrogated, I suggest we focus our attention on this German scientist. Grover, up for the task?"

"Yes, sir." He saluted Chiron with one finger before he took the file from Will which earned Grover a glare as the latter must have been in the middle of reading the file.

"Will shall help you of course," Chiron said and Will nodded.

Chiron turned his gaze to Annabeth. "And I believe you already know your task: find the pattern and find out who opened those safes. I want to know what we're up against."

Annabeth nodded. She already had a few theories, but she still needed a little more time to validate them.

Chiron eyed all three of them before he said: "Dismissed."

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Annabeth walked out the circular elevator after the doors opened with the familiar ding! She made her way down the corridor and stopped at the door with the number 2001 written on it. She brought her hand up and knocked on the door.

She didn't wait to hear a reply as she knew she wouldn't get any and just opened the door. Inside was a fairly big room with a double bed, a wardrobe to one side, a glass window on the wall that showed the dark under water. The walls were painted in different shades of blue and black and green. The floor was covered in a beige carpet. There was a door on the far left that led to the bathroom.

Tyson sat at his desk next to his bed with his back to Annabeth. He was building something as he had dozens of mechanical parts laid on the desk.

She approached him and looked over his shoulder at what he was doing. He was building some kind of watch or wrist band. She sat on the desk so he could see her.

"Hey there Tyson," she said.

His look hadn't changed much in two years. He'd grown a good seven inches taller and had a recent haircut. His brown hair was more wavy looking then rat's nest like it used too. He was quite handsome and had the same lopsided grin as Percy. He was wearing a flannel shirt over a white t-shirt with ripped blue jeans and dark boots. (Here's the link: tysons_outfit_2016/set?id=215783042)

He gave her a small smile. He put the object on his hands down on the table and brought his hand up and spoke in sign language. _Hey_.

Ever since Percy disappeared, Tyson never spoke a word. He had become mute for the past two years. The pain of losing his beloved brother after losing his mother had been too much for him to bear.

Annabeth decided to reply in sign language too. _What are you doing?_

 _Just a project I'm working on_ , he said. He paused before he asked, _where have you been?_

Annabeth did her best to sum up her mission in sign language. She did it slowly so Tyson could follow even though he might be even better than her. When she finished, he looked deep in thought. Then he said, _do you think that maybe?_

 _What?_ She asked

 _That maybe it was him?_

Annabeth's breath caught in her chest. She hadn't expected that question. Of course she had thought about it and a part of her was totally convinced that it was him, but it was still a longshot.

 _I don't know_ , she answered truthfully. _But if it is him, and I intend to find out, then I will do everything I can to bring him back. To bring him home._

He looked at her hopefully. _Do you promise?_

Annabeth smiled at him before she did the sign: she put her index finger to her lips and then placed a flat hand on top of the thumb-side of the non-dominant "S"-hand. _Promise._


	3. Chapter 3

**Mask Of Joy**

 **Chapter 2**

 **Leo's POV**

Sometimes Leo didn't understand his two best friends. Jason and Piper could be so dense that it made him want to hit his head against a wall repeatedly.

He didn't know how they couldn't see it, but Leo saw it every day. In class, in the street, in the hallway, heck even in the cafeteria. Especially in the damn cafeteria.

Leo wouldn't mind if he were the third wheel. It wouldn't be the first time. At least if they're making out, they would be straightforward. Better to be the awkward third wheel to two people making out, than to be the third wheel to two people pretending that they're not madly in love.

 _When did his life become so complicated anyway?_ He thought as he ate the food on his tray and Piper was sitting in front of him, her lips were running hundred miles an hour and waving her hands around.

S he was very beautiful of Native American descent, with dark tanned skin, chocolate brown hair that was cut choppy and unevenly, with thin strands braided down on the sides with a feather. She wore a blue flannel shirt/hoodie over a short black t-shirt with skinny black pants and high-top converse sneakers. She always had a tomboyish vibe to her. (Here's the link: pipers_outfit_2016/set?id=216079095 )

"Piper," he said cutting her off after he swallowed the piece of bread in his mouth. "I don't get it. Why are you annoyed?"

"Leo," she said looking straight in his eyes with her own kaleidoscope ones. "Have you even listened to what I've been saying?"

"Depends," he started taking another bite from his toast. "Would you be mad if I said no?"

"On a scale of one to ten?" she asked sweetly, before giving him the _Piper glare_. "Eleven."

Leo sighed. "Listen, Beauty Queen. I really don't understand what's your problem with Jason, but-"

"I don't have a problem with Jason!" she said a little too loud attracting the attention of a few other students around the cafeteria. She blushed slightly before lowering her voice, "Just his 'ex'."

"Huh?" Leo didn't recall hearing anything about an ex. He must have forgotten or not listened. Either way these were _Piper Problems_ , and he didn't have really time to worry about such problems. Especially when there's a metric ton of _Piper Problems_ , and most of them didn't even qualify as problems.

Now _Leo Problems_ were very important stuff. Because _Leo Problems_ are not just real problems, but when Leo has a problem… it's a problem. And his current problem: The issue of the awkward secretly madly in love teen relationship.

"Seriously Leo, listen to me!" she whispered and somehow Leo did. One of the biggest mysteries of Piper McLean, was her ability to make anyone listen and even do what she asked. "I was telling you about his 'ex' coming to see him, like, today! Jason sounded pretty excited. I think he wants to go back together with her!."

 _Well… Crap_ , Leo thought. He didn't like where this conversation was going. She was doing her 'Piper pessimistic talk' all over again. Last time that happened… well it didn't go so well.

"I don't think he _explicitly_ said that last part, Pipes. Or implied it. At all."

"You weren't there, Leo! I could tell."

 _Oh she could tell_ , he thought. That didn't convince him. It was still the 'Piper pessimistic talk' talking. He needed to change that, fast.

"You are most definitely super wron-" Leo noticed her eyebrows lower an inch and her right hand twitch-"derful, yeah you're awesome Pipes."

She smiled. "I know."

"Well it doesn't matter anyway if he's exited, right? They might talk about friendly stuff, you know? It's not like we can spy on him or anything?" Leo chuckled dryly. "I mean that would seriously be not cool."

Suddenly Piper's eyes light up. Leo did not like that look one bit.

"Huh, Piper? I know that look. You're not thinking about what I think you're thinking… right?"

"Leo Valdez," she said leaning forward with a giant grin on her face that sent shivers down his back. Usually, when she said his full name, what came after was a compliment, "You're a _genius_."

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Leo really did not like Piper's idea. Shortly after she told him he was a genius, which he already was aware of, she told him to meet her after school outside of Jason's apartment a few blocks away from the school.

So here he was, hiding behind a car waiting for Piper as he occupied his hands. He pulled a few pieces of metal from his tool belt strapped around his waist. It was like his own bat-belt, and he never went anywhere without it.

Since it was a reconnaissance mission or something, he had to dress for the occasion. He wore his winter waistcoat over a cream coloured Henley shirt with the sleeves held up to the elbows. Instead of a belt, he wore brown suspenders for his slim blue jeans. He also wore his brown boots and his pair of goggles. (Here's the link: leos_outfit_2016/set?id=216079705 )

He looked down at his left wrist where his watch was strapped. It was his father's. He'd built himself for his mother. It was the very last thing he had of her.

He shook his head and put the object he was building in one of the pouches on his tool belt before he looked from the car's hood down into the street. _Where was she?_ He thought.

He looked left and his reflection looked back at him through the side mirror. He had curly black hair, dark brown eyes, pointy ears, a cheerful, elf-like face. He usually wore a mischievous and impish smile on his face, but he was worried at the moment.

Suddenly a hand touched his shoulder and he jumped in fright letting out a yelp. Piper, in a crouched position, looked at him concerned.

"Jesus, Piper! You scared the crap out of me!"

"Hey, it's only me. What's got you so worked up?" she asked before looking over the car hood and Jason's apartment across the road.

Leo shook his head at her. Suddenly he heard a car engine down the street heading this way. Both Leo and Piper hid better behind the car, yet still able to see over the hood and Jason's apartment.

A midnight back limousine came to a stop right in front of Jason's apartment. Leo and Piper exchanged surprised looks before looking back at the limousine as a woman stepped out.

Leo couldn't make much about her, but even from this distance, he could tell that she was gorgeous. Her long black hair was held in a single brad over her right shoulder. She was tall with an athletic build and as she went up the steps of Jason's apartment and knocked on the door, she turned her head to the side and Leo could just about make out her angelic face.

Leo could see Piper's muscles stiffen. It was never a good sign whenever she did that. He looked back at the gorgeous girl when the front door opened and the man of the hour stood right there. Jason smiled at the girl and the two embraced in a hug. Leo thought Piper would run straight up to the girl and murder her.

Jason then showed her in and after she entered, the door closed behind them. The limousine stayed parked outside, the engine still running. Leo sighed before he sat down as he couldn't stay in a crouching position anymore and let his legs flow with blood once more.

"Well I guess that's that," Leo said with a sad smile, but Piper ignored him and kept starring at Jason's apartment. "Huh Piper?"

She looked back at him with dangerous eyes. "Leo we're going in."

"What, through the front door? Yeah, I think Jason would be thrilled to have his crush and best friend and ex in the same room." Leo rolled his eyes at her.

"No of course not the front door, Leo!" she hushed before she pointed to Jason's garden behind the wall siding the pavement on the other side of the street. "We climb over that wall and sneak in through the garden where we can eavesdrop on them."

Leo didn't like this. He knew this wasn't going to end well and he'll be caught right in the middle of it and he'll have to pick sides. He shook his head at Piper, "No, no, no, there's no way."

Piper just smiled at him.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxTimelapsexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Leo landed hard on his but on the other side of the wall and into Jason's garden. He groaned just as Piper hopped down from the wall and landed on her feet in a crouching position like a cat.

Leo sighed as Piper made her way across the garden and to Jason's backdoor. Leo followed her right behind. Jason's garden was quite big and cut in four different rectangles with different vegetables and flowers in each. There was like a cross shaped path way of grass between the four different rectangles.

They made their way to the back of the multileveled building where there was a fire escape. The ladder was too high for either of them to reach. Piper looked at Leo and back up at the ladder.

"Give me a boost, will you?" she asked.

Leo spread his legs and used his hands to form a foot hold for Piper. She put her dirty converse on his hands and reached up to the ladder, but she still couldn't reach it. She looked down at him.

"Higher," she ordered. "I need to get higher."

Leo tried, but he only managed to lift her a couple of centimetre's higher. But she seemed to have a better idea and put her left foot on his head and reached out to the ladder.

"I got it!" she whispered as she pulled it down and climbed on the first level of the fire escape. Leo wiped his face of the dirt that covered the underside of Piper's sneakers.

"Yeah, fantastic!" he whispered back glaring at her.

"What?" she asked looking down at him.

Leo pointed at his face. "You ruined my angelic face!"

"Oh don't be such a cry baby!" she whispered back and lowered the ladder down for Leo to climb. "Now get up here."

Leo rolled his eyes before climbing the ladder. Piper tried to open the window, but it didn't budge. "Not good, it's locked."

Leo smiled at her. "Here, let the _Bad Boy Supreme_ take care of it."

He pulled out the tools required from his tool belt and got to work. He pulled his customized paper clip and wrench that could open any lock. After inserting the wrench in the lower part of the key hole and feeling a slight give, Leo held it in place.

He then proceeded to insert his customized paper clip and pushed each pin out of the way. When he pushed the very last pin out of the way, he turned the wrench fully. He retrieved his tools and lifted the window.

"Good one Leo," Piper said with a grin before she hopped inside. Leo smiled before he followed her inside, closing the window silently behind him.

Leo turned and realized they were in the guest bedroom. The double bed to one side and the wooden wardrobe to the other. There were two doors; the one on the right led to the bathroom while the other where Piper stood led into the corridor.

Leo silently made his way across the carpet floor and by Piper as she peeked outside in the corridor. Piper opened the door wider and Leo looked left and right, but there was no one.

The stair case was right in front of them that led to the two upper levels and the one below which was where they were heading. On either end of the corridor there were other doors that led to the closet or another bathroom.

Piper slowly walked down the steps of the stairs as they heard voices downstairs. When she reached the larges step at the angle she peeked downstairs before she motioned with her hand for Leo before she made her way down the last steps.

Leo quickly and silently caught up to her. The downstairs consisted of the entrance, the living/dining room and the kitchen. The two stood in the corridor that led straight to the entrance all the way to the kitchen on the other side. There was a door opening slightly to their right that led into the living/dining room.

Leo and Piper crouched next to the opening as they listened to Jason and his 'ex' on the other side. They seemed in the middle of a serious discussion.

"-don't get what you're doing here," Jason said. "I don't even understand half of what you're talking about. And you're telling me it's got something to do with my sister?"

"I know Jason, this must be hard to understand," the girl's voice said, which Leo guessed belonged to his mysterious 'ex'. "And Thalia must have been quiet about it for all this time because she didn't want you to be a part of it… I guess. But-"

"Wait what?" Jason's voice sounded full of disbelief. "My sister has been this—this spy for a long time? How long exactly?"

There was a moment of silence before she answered. "A couple years," she said. "But she did it only to keep you safe. You are the son of possibly the most powerful man in the world. You were a target of the TITANs. She fears you will be again."

Leo couldn't understand half the things she was saying. He looked at Piper and she too had a perplexed complexion on her face.

"Alright, fine, I still don't quite believe it, but fine, whatever," Jason said exasperated. "Now what the heck does it have to do with-"

Suddenly his voice went quiet. Leo could feel his heart beating faster and looked at Piper with wide eyes as she looked just as panicked as he was. They stayed still without making a noise.

Then something pointy and sharp touched Leo's chin. He looked up to see Jason's 'ex'. _Dang she was beautiful_ , he thought. She looked about nineteen with piercing black eyes and glossy black hair worn in a single braid. She wore a black and grey baseball hoodie over a purple tank top with green pants and dark boots. (Here's the link: reynas_outfit_2016/set?id=216190683 )

"What have we got here?" she asked looking down at Leo with cold eyes that sent shivers down his spine. Her tone was dangerous. _She_ was dangerous. "Eavesdropping are we?"

"Reyna?" Jason's voice came from the living room. The girl, who was more like a woman, grabbed both Leo and Piper with surprising strength and shoved them in the living room to a surprised Jason.

Leo's best friend was the same old, same old Jason he remembered; still as good looking with sky blue eyes, close-cropped blonde hair, and a small scar on the corner of his lip. He was very tall with an athletic build. He wore a purple t-shirt that showed his well-muscled and tanned arms with golden writing that was in Latin, so Leo could not understand what was written on it. He also wore slim grey jeans and some sneakers. (Here's the link: jasons_outfit_2016/set?id=216190855 )

"Piper? Leo?" he asked in disbelief. "What the hell are you doing here?"

 _Oh boy_ , Leo thought.

"Jason? You know these people?" Reyna asked from behind Leo still holding her wicked sword in her hand. _Who the hell is still using swords anyway_ , he thought.

Jason looked suspiciously at both of them and Leo guessed he knew why they were there and he didn't like it. He looked at Reyna, "Yeah, they're are my _best friends_."

Leo winced internally when he said those words. He noticed Piper looking down shamefully. Reyna looked at them with narrowed eyes, before she sheathed her sword on her hip.

"They're going to have to come too," she said.

"What? Why? They've got nothing to-" Jason tried to say.

"There's no time. They've been eavesdropping, so now they're a part of it whether they like it or not," she said strictly.

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Leo shook his hands in the air. "Now wait a minute. I've no idea what you're talking about missy, but I ain't going"- Reyna put her hand on the hilt of her sword glaring at Leo-"Nowhere without you. Right."

Reyna released her hold on her sword and turned toward the entrance. "C'mon let's go. We've wasted enough time already."

Leo, Jason and Piper exchanged uneasy looks. Leo shrugged bumped his fist against Jason's shoulder. "You've got good taste Jason. You think she'd like me? Of course she does! _All da ladies luv Leo_!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Mask Of Joy**

 **Chapter 3**

 **Jason's POV**

Jason couldn't quite believe what was happening. First of all, Reyna calling him after such a long period of radio silence and then she turned up at his doorstep.

Nor did he expect his two best friends to show up too, unannounced, eavesdropping on them. He still didn't know why they did this; it just didn't make any sense to Jason.

He shook the thought away as he climbed into the limo and sat next to Piper and Leo. Jason was surprised to see a man sitting opposite Reyna as he stared at the three of them with narrowed eyes.

"Who are these cupcakes?" the man asked as the limo drove away down the street.

Reyna gave them a side glance, her eyes landing on Jason for a second before she answered: "They're the new recruits."

"You said there would only be _one_ recruit," the man said. "Not three."

"Yeah, well things happened and now there are three of them," she said strictly as Jason, Leo and Piper watched the exchange silently.

The man sighed before he eyed Jason and his friends. There was a moment of silence before he sighed once more and pointed a thumb against his chest. "I'm Coach Hedge. I'm sorry if I seem tense, but for the last months, things have been… complicated."

"Yeah complicated doesn't even begin to describe it," Reyna said as she looked down sadly. "A lot of people have died."

Leo cleared his throat. "I'm sorry to break the moody conversation," he said. "But what the hell are we doing here? I'm guessing we're not being recruited to some kind of music group, so what's this about?"

Everyone gave Leo a weird look. "What?" he asked.

"This morning," Hedge said, "I got a message from the base. They said an extraction team is on the way. They're coming to pick up a special package, a recruit, but they wouldn't give me details."

"It doesn't matter if it's one recruit or three," Reyna said. "Now it's best I – we explain what's going on to you guys.

"Jason already knows-"

Suddenly the limo hit something violently, sending them all forward before the limo twisted and tumbled upside down. The limo had flipped so many times that Jason had become disorientated, before he even sustained the concussion that had him drifting in and out of consciousness.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxTimelapsexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

When he woke up, he was fleetingly aware of the metallic taste in his mouth that he recognized: blood. He fluttered his eyelids open and winced as he tried to move. He blinked a couple time as he took in what he saw.

There was a constant ringing in his ears as he saw the world sideways. He was at first confused why the black cars and the men in suits were standing on the wall, when he realized it was the ground.

"Kid, c'mon get up!" Coach Hedge's voice came to Jason. He shook his head and sat up taking in his surroundings.

He was sitting on the ground next to the upside down limo. Coach Hedge stood next to him as he helped the others, Reyna, Piper and Leo out of the limo. They were next to the Hudson River, on a deserted street.

"Go, go, go!" said Coach Hedge. Jason got to his feet as Coach Hedge and Reyna guided Jason and his friends to the nearest building. It was a multileveled apartment building.

Suddenly tires screeching and car engines were heading down the street and Jason saw a couple cars driving towards them in full speed. Coach Hedge and Reyna opened the front door and hushed them in.

Once inside, Coach Hedge pressed the button to call the elevator. There was a screen above the elevator doors with an arrow that aimed to the far right at number 32 and slowly turned counter clockwise towards the zero.

"Screw this!" Coach Hedge opened the door to the stair case and ran up the steps. Jason, Piper and Leo were next, followed by Reyna as they ran up the levels.

"How far do we go?!" Leo yelled.

"To the roof!" Coach Hedge replied, making Leo groan.

It took them a while, but Jason was only lightly out of breath as he reached the roof. Piper and Leo came next completely out of breath and finally Reyna who didn't seem at all exhausted as she closed the door to the roof behind her.

She joined Coach Hedge as they pulled out some kind of device. Leo sat on the edge of the roof and took out random stuff from his belt. Piper bent forward gathering her breath. Jason was about to approach her when he heard yelling from behind the door.

Leo jumped to his feet a bit too quick and lost his balance and almost toppled over the roof, but Jason grabbed his jacket and pulled him back. "Thanks, man!"

Suddenly the door burst open and a man came charging onto the roof with a katana sword. Reyna was the first to react as she parried his strike with her sword.

After a few exchanges, three other men came running through the roof door and started to attack her. The third man was heading for the others.

Piper barely dodged his first strike before he kicked her in the ribs sending her to the ground dazed.

"Piper!" Jason tried to charge forward, but Coach Hedge pushed him back.

"Coach," Jason said, "let me go!"

Three more men in suits came through that door and they took place behind the man with the katana sword, who was looking at the Coach, while the other three engaged Reyna who was holding up on her own pretty well.

The man with the katana sword gave him a psycho happy smile. "Oh, come on, Coach. Let the boy attack me! After all, you're getting too old for this. Isn't that why they retired you? I've been on your tracks the whole year, and you didn't even know. You're losing your weight, grandpa."

The coach made an angry sound like an animal bleating. "That's it, cupcake. You're going down."

"You think you can protect three kids at once, old man?" Dylan laughed. "Good luck."

Dylan pointed at Leo, and one of the men charged him with two knives. Leo tried to back away and he nearly fell off the roof again, but he caught his balance. Just before the man could cut Leo in two with his knives, he jumped out of the way, but the man caught Leo's leg before he stumbled and they both disappeared over the edge.

Jason watched in horror as they disappeared of the edge. Jason's heart jumped a beat again when he saw the two land onto the other roof of the building several meters below.

"Help!" Leo yelled up at him. "Rope, please? Bungee cord? Something?"

Coach Hedge cursed and tossed Jason his weapon. "I don't know who you are, kid, but I hope you're good. Keep Dylan busy"—he stabbed a thumb at the man with the katana sword—"while I get Leo."

Hedge leaped over the railing. He landed with a roll on the other roof and charged the man with the knives.

"Isn't that cute!" Dylan turned toward Jason. "Now it's your turn, boy."

Jason threw the club. It seemed useless to use it head on against a katana sword. The club flew right at Dylan and smacked him hard on the head, so he fell to his knees.

Piper wasn't as dazed as she appeared. Her fingers closed around the club when it rolled next to her, but before she could use it, Dylan rose. Blood running down his forehead, where the club had hit him.

"Nice try, boy." He glared at Jason. "But you'll have to do better."

The two men behind Dylan came forward with their weapons: the one on the left had a metal baseball bat, while the other had double axes.

Dylan grinned that psycho grin of his. "I'm glad I waited, kid. I've been following Leo and Piper for weeks. Could've killed them at any time. But my mistress said a third one was coming—someone special. She'll reward me greatly for your death!"

Piper stayed down, pretending to be dazed, her hand still holding on to the club. Her face was pale, but she gave Jason a determined look, and he understood the message: _Keep their attention_. _I'll brain them from behind_.

Cute, smart, and violent. She never seized to amaze him. He clenched his fists and got ready to charge, but he never got a chance.

Dylan raised his hand, and just then Jason noticed he was holding a pistol. _Bang!_ Jason found himself flat on his back. His mouth tasted like burning aluminium foil.

He hissed in pain as he clutched his burning stomach. He looked down at his hand, but there weren't any blood. He lifted his head and saw the bullet had gone straight though his stomach, but no blood poured out of it.

The men were laughing. Piper was screaming defiantly, but it all sounded tinny and far away. Out of the corner of his eye, Jason saw Coach Hedge running towards them with Leo on his back.

Piper was on her feet, desperately swinging the club to fend off the two extra armed men, but they were just toying with her. The club was deflected by their own weapons or they dodged her swing. And Dylan loomed over Jason.

"Stop," Jason croaked. He rose unsteadily to his feet, clutching his stomach and he wasn't sure who was more surprised: him, or the armed men.

"How are you alive?" Dylan's form flickered. "That—that's not possible!"

"Jason!" Reyna yelled as she threw her sword at him before she punched the last of the three armed men that had gone after her earlier. Jason caught the sword by the hilt.

"My turn," Jason said. He held Reyna's sword—a wickedly sharp double-edged weapon. The ridged grip fitted his fingers perfectly, and the whole thing was gold—hilt, handle, and blade.

Dylan snarled and backed up. He looked at his two comrades and yelled, "Well? Kill him!"

The other armed men didn't look happy with that order, but they charged at Jason, their weapons ready. Jason swung first. His blade cut clean through the man's metallic bat like it was made of butter. He looked surprised at his weapon, before Jason knocked him out with the butt of his hilt.

The second man launched in a flurry of slashes with his twin axes, but Jason deflected every blow and managed to disarmed the man. Jason stepped in—one quick thrust, and the second man fell to the ground, clutching his stomach.

Dylan wailed in outrage. He looked down as if expecting his comrades to get back up. "Impossible! Who are you?"

Piper was so stunned she dropped her club. "Jason, how … ?"

Then Coach Hedge leaped back onto the roof and dumped Leo like a sack of flour. "Fear me!" Hedge bellowed, flexing his short arms. Then he looked around and realized there was only Dylan.

"Curse it, boy!" he snapped at Jason. "Didn't you leave some for me? I like a challenge!"

Leo got to his feet, breathing hard. He looked completely humiliated. "Yo, Coach Supergoat, whoever you are—I just fell off the freaking roof! Stop asking for challenges!"

Dylan hissed at them, but Jason could see fear in his eyes. "You have no idea how many enemies you've awakened. My mistress will destroy all your agents. This war you cannot win."

He lunged at Jason, but Piper tackled the man from behind. Both of them went sprawling.

Leo, Jason, and the coach surged forward to help, but Dylan knocked Piper off him and swiped a dangerous ark with his katana sword nearly cutting the three of them in two.

Jason and Coach Hedge landed on their butts. Jason's sword skidded across the ground. Leo hit the back of his head and curled on his side, dazed and groaning. Piper got the worst of it. She was thrown off Dylan's back and hit the railing, tumbling over the side until she was hanging by one hand over the abyss.

Jason started toward her, but Dylan screamed, "I'll settle for this one!" He grabbed Leo's arm and brought his katana sword above his head to strike.

"Help!" Piper yelled. "Somebody!"

"Jason, go!" Hedge yelled. "Save her!"

Coach Hedge tackled Dylan, liberating Leo from the man's grasp. Leo dropped safely to the floor, but Dylan grappled the Coach's arms instead.

Hedge tried to head-butt him, then kicked him and called him a cupcake. "Go! Save her! I've got this!" He yelled to Jason.

Instinct took over him. Jason ran to the railing, thinking, _I'm a lunatic_ , and jumped over the side. He barely caught Piper's wrist while he caught the side of the roof with his right hand.

"J-J-Jason," Piper exclaimed.

He smiled down at her and she smiled back. He looked back up and tried to pull her back up, but it was impossible with one hand, and he could feel the other one slipping already.

She was slipping away from him…. Then Reyna came into view and grabbed his wrist. She helped the two of them back up.

Jason hugged Piper tight, and she repositioned herself so she was hugging him too.

They were nose to nose. Her heart beat so hard, Jason could feel it through her clothes. Her breath smelled like cinnamon.

Reyna cleared her throat and the two let go. Jason saw Leo on the ground a few feet away as he groaned. They quickly made their way towards him.

"Stupid … ugly … goat," he muttered.

"Where did he go?" Piper asked.

Leo pointed at the door. "Never came up. Please tell me he didn't actually save my life."

"Twice," Jason said.

Leo groaned even louder. "What happened? The katana guy, the gold sword … I hit my head. That's it, right? I'm hallucinating?"

Jason had forgotten about the sword. He walked over to where it was lying and picked it up. The blade was well balanced.

He handed it back to Reyna who pressed a button on it and it transformed/shrank into a tablet.

"Yep," Leo said. "Definitely hallucinating."

Jason looked around at the bodies. "We need to get out of here," Jason said. "Maybe if we—"

"Ohhh-kay," Leo interrupted. "Look up there and tell me that's not a UFO heading straight for us."

At first Jason thought Leo had hit his head too hard. Then he saw a dark shape descending from the east—

"Reinforcements," Reyna said. "Finally. The extraction squad is here."

"Extraction squad?" Leo struggled to his feet. "That sounds painful."

"And where are they extracting us to?" Piper asked.

Jason watched as the ship hovered over them sending powerful winds from its two rotors. It landed next to them and the back door opened.

"C'mon! Let's go!" Reyna hushed the three of them inside the vessel. Jason looked back at the door that led to the staircase and half expected Coach Hedge to be running out of it.

The backdoor closed and they took off.


	5. Chapter 5

**Mask Of Joy**

 **Chapter 5**

 **Piper's POV**

After the day's events, Piper should've been losing her mind. Instead, all she felt was dread.

She stood in back of the flying ship with Leo and Jason, while Reyna stood in the cockpit with the pilot. From where she sat, Piper couldn't make out the statue of liberty.

Jason sat right next to her: those sky blue eyes, close-cropped blond hair, that cute little scar on his upper lip. His face was kind and gentle, but always a little sad. He just stared into space, not even noticing her. Meanwhile, Leo was being annoying, as usual.

"This is so cool!" he cheered. "Where are we going?"

"To a safe place," Reyna simply said joining them in the back. "The only safe place for kids like us. It's called ARGUS, a base for Half-Bloods."

"Half-Blood?" Piper was immediately on her guard. She hated that word. She'd been called a half-blood too many times—half Cherokee, half white —and it was never a compliment. "Is that some kind of bad joke?"

"She means our parentage," Jason said. "Half god, half mortal. It's a code name for us. Of course you're not technically half god, but they like to think themselves as gods so they put it in the name."

Reyna nodded. "My mom is Bellona, General of the Armies of the UN. Butch here is the son of Iris, the founder, chairwoman and CEO of Rainbows Industries."

Leo choked. "Your mom is the head of Rainbow Industries? The stuff for kids?"

"Got a problem with that?" Butch said.

"No, no," Leo said. "Rainbows. Very macho."

"I'm gonna toss you off this ship," Butch warned.

After a couple more minutes, Piper felt the ship shake as it touched ground. Reyna walked towards the backdoor and pressed a button on the side and it opened.

Blinding daylight hit Piper's eyes as she unbuckled her seatbelt and walked out. After she blinked a couple times and her eyes were adjusted to the light, Piper took in her surroundings.

They stood on Liberty Island with the Statue of Liberty towering over them a hundred feet away. They were encircled by two dozen armed soldiers in full midnight black armour with their assault rifles pointed at them.

Piper immediately raise her hands in surrender as did Jason and Leo as they joined her and Reyna who just glared at the soldiers.

"Lower your weapons!" a feminine voice ordered. The soldiers were hesitant, but they obeyed. Their guns were now pointing at the ground as they walked away around the island.

Piper's eyes widened in shock as she saw who the voice belonged to. She walked straight towards them with a smile. She looked even more beautiful than Piper remembered at high school. Her curly blonde hair was held in a braided low bun. Her skin was tanned and flawless.

She wore a cream knit linen t-shirt that hugged her curves with short jean shorts, that showed her very tanned legs, and black and white convers similar to Piper's. She also wore black reading glasses which was weird as Annabeth had perfect eyesight. At least from what Piper remembered. (Here's the link: annabeths_casual_outfit/set?id=217035060)

"Annabeth!" Piper threw her arms around her friend even before she reached the group. Annabeth hugged her back tightly.

Then they let go of the embrace as Jason and Leo greeted Annabeth with hugs as well. Reyna just nodded at her as she crossed her arms.

Annabeth smiled at them before it disappeared as she seemed to be looking for someone. Her gaze finally landed on Reyna. "Where's Hedge?"

"We don't know," Butch said as he walked out of the ship and came to stand next to her. "He went after the katana guy, Dylan."

"We need to send a search party, then," Annabeth told him and Butch nodded.

"I'll go tell Chiron," he said and waved at Piper and the others before he jogged off to where Annabeth had come from within the base of the statue.

There was an awkward silence as Annabeth looked at Butch's retreating form. Leo cleared his throat. "So… mind telling what's going on?"

Annabeth smiled at them. Before she turned around and walked back in the same direction she came from. She waved a hand for them: "Follow me."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxTimelapsexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Piper, Jason and Leo stared wide eyed outside the circular elevator as it descendent to the giant ball right under Liberty Island. They were actually underwater.

Annabeth and Reyna both looked at them with knowing looks. It seemed like they were remembering when they were in their shoes.

Suddenly they couldn't see the water anymore as they entered the giant ball and the elevator stopped with that familiar feeling in Piper's stomach. The elevator doors opened with a _ding!_

A boy stood there with shaggy blond hair, blue eyes and a surfer's body similar to Jason's. He looked around their age and quite cute. He wore a blue flannel shirt over an orange t-shirt with a pair of black pants and green sneakers. A black messenger bag was slung over his shoulder. (Here's the link: wills_casual_outfit/set?id=217036770)

"Annabeth," the guy greeted with a smile before he looked at Piper and the rest with raised eyebrows. "Uh… are these..?"

"The new recruits," Annabeth said motioning to Piper, Leo and Jason as they all stepped off the elevator. "Will this is Piper, Leo and Jason."

Will sized them up. "These are the ones? Way older than thirteen. Why haven't they been claimed already?"

"Claimed?" Leo asked.

A girl, followed by a few others, walked up to them from down the corridor—tall, Asian, dark hair in ringlets, plenty of jewellery, and perfect makeup. Somehow she managed to make jeans and an orange T-shirt look glamorous. She glanced at Leo, fixed her eyes on Jason like he might be worthy of her attention, then curled her lip at Piper as if she were a week-old burrito that had just been pulled out of a Dumpster.

Piper knew this girl's type. She'd dealt with a lot of girls like this at High School and every other stupid school her father had sent her to. Piper knew instantly they were going to be enemies.

"Well," the girl said, "I hope they're worth the trouble."

Leo snorted. "Gee, thanks. What are we, your new pets?"

"No kidding," Piper said. "How about some answers before you start judging us—like, what is this place, why are we here, how long do we have to stay?"

"Piper," Annabeth said, "I promise we'll answer your questions. And Drew"—she frowned at the glamour girl—"all Half-bloods are worth saving."

"Hey," Piper said, "we didn't ask to be brought here."

Drew sniffed. "And nobody wants you, hon. Does your hair always look like a dead badger?"

Piper stepped forward, ready to smack her, but Annabeth said, "Piper, stop."

Piper did. She wasn't a bit scared of Drew, but Annabeth was definitely not somebody she wanted for an enemy.

"We need to make our new arrivals feel welcome," Annabeth said, with another pointed look at Drew. "We'll assign them each a guide, give them a tour of base. Hopefully by the campfire tonight, they'll be claimed."

"Would somebody tell me what claimed means?" Piper asked.

Suddenly there was a collective gasp. At first Piper thought she'd done something wrong. Then she realized their faces were bathed in a strange red light, as if someone had lit a torch behind her. She turned and almost forgot how to breathe.

Floating over Leo's head was a blazing holographic image —a fiery hammer.

"That," Annabeth said, "is claiming."

"What'd I do?" Leo backed toward the lake. Then he glanced up and yelped. "Is my hair on fire?"

He ducked, but the symbol followed him, bobbing and weaving so it looked like he was trying to write something in flames with his head.

"This can't be good," Butch muttered. "The curse—"

"Butch, shut up," Annabeth said. "Leo, you've just been claimed—"

"By a god," Jason interrupted. "That's the symbol of Vulcan, isn't it?" All eyes turned to him.

"Jason," Annabeth said carefully, "how did you know that?"

"I'm not sure."

"Vulcan?" Leo demanded. "I don't even LIKE Star Trek. What are you talking about?"

"Vulcan is the Roman name for Hephaestus," Annabeth said, "the founder of the Global Fire Power." The fiery hammer faded, but Leo kept swatting the air like he was afraid it was following him.

"The founder of what? Who?"

Annabeth turned to Will. "Will, would you take Leo, give him a tour? Introduce him to his bunk-mates in Cabin Nine."

"Sure, Annabeth."

"What's Cabin Nine?" Leo asked. "And I'm not a Vulcan!"

"Come on, Mr. Spock, I'll explain everything." Will put a hand on his shoulder and steered him into the elevator.

Annabeth turned her attention back to Jason. Usually Piper didn't like it when other girls checked out her crush, but Annabeth didn't seem to care that he was a good-looking guy.

"He needs to go straight to Chiron," Annabeth decided. "Drew, would you—"

"Absolutely." Drew laced her arm through Jason's. "This way, sweetie. I'll introduce you to our director. He's … an interesting guy." She flashed Piper a smug look and led Jason down the corridor.

Reyna followed Jason as did the others, until only Annabeth and Piper were left. "Who's Chiron?" Piper asked. "Is Jason in some kind of trouble?"

Annabeth hesitated. "Good question, Piper. Come on, I'll give you a tour. We need to talk."


	6. Chapter 6

**Mask Of Joy**

 **Chapter 6**

 **Silver's POV**

Silver was crouching on the roof of the building, looking at the building in front of him. It was the middle of the night, so all the workers had left and the building was completely dark. He searched his mind for every possible scenario to reach his target.

He wore his battle gear as on most of his missions –His helmet was faceless with two water drop shaped eyes. Heavy body armor covered his torso, back, shoulders and arms while light body armor covered a few parts of his legs over his black cargo pants. Twin blades hid in his Kevlar shin high boots. He had Throwing knives in both his gauntlets. His gloves were equipped with electricity in the knuckles. He also had a belt around his waist with multiple pouches, grenades and a handgun. A grappling gun strapped to his right leg as well as an EMP rifle on his back. (Agent Venom Suit: tumblr_ )

Silver switched on the heat vision on his helmet to look at a couple of armed men. They were walking around on the last floor with one of them trying to open the door to the mayor's office.

The small skyscraper, only a street away from him, belonged to a man with ties to the TITAN organization. It was also the town hall.

After he got the manuscript from Mr. Ellia's vault, he needed to get the codex to decipher what was written on the manuscript. The target knew of the one holding the codex, Prometheus. That was his mission: information.

After debating for a few seconds, Silver concluded with his only option: fight his way to the vault.

Silver stood up and pulled his grappling out of its holster. He aimed at the building where he noticed through the big windows a mercenary in full body armor and armed with an auto rifle was patrolling the floor. He fired the hook just over the window.

The hook embedded itself in the concreted wall. The mercenary heard it and approached the window slowly. Silver jumped off the building and swung straight towards him.

Silver went straight through the window, shattering it to bits. The mercenary fell on the ground as Silver stood up straight and stared down at him.

He could only stare surprised, before Silver punched him in the face knocking him out cold. Silver then grabbed the mercenary's limp body and quickly tied him to one of the wheel chairs and dragged him to the side. He then hid in one of the multiple working cabinets.

Four other mercenaries came running to the destroyed windows. They aimed around everywhere with their rifles. They cursed.

"The hell'd he go?" said one of the mercenaries that looked slightly different than the others. He helmet was a gas mask. "Whatever got in… don't let it get out."

They nodded while activating their flashlights on their rifles and they started to walk around the floor. One of them had his back turned to Silver and he quickly crossed the floor to another of those cabinets. He moved down the hall until he turned and found the mercenary Silver tied up to a wheel chair.

"Huh?" he immediately got behind the wheelchair and began to untie the unconscious mercenary.

Silver stood in the shadows twenty feet behind him. He aimed his grappling hook at the mercenary and fired. The hook grabbed his right heel. He looked down surprised before Silver pressed the wheel-in button and the guy fell on his stomach and got dragged towards Silver, screaming in fright.

As the mercenary reached Silver, he knocked him out before hiding the body. The other mercenaries fired in the direction where they heard the noise. Silver used his grappling hook to get on the metallic beams close to the high ceiling.

He then used the gun to wheel-in the mercenary in the wheel chair. The mercenary looked up at the ceiling all visibly frightened.

"Back to back, circle up!" the man in the gas mask yelled.

The other two mercenaries obeyed in an instant and the three moved into position, their backs facing each other in a circle as they aimed in three different directions.

Silver moved to stand on the metallic beams right on top of them. He pulled a circular grenade from one of the pouches on his belt. He dropped it in the middle of them activating it in the process as heavy smoke spilled out of it.

The one with the gas mask wasn't affected while the other two coughed as the smoke engulfed all three of them to the point they couldn't see anything.

Silver used his grappling gun to wheel one of them up before knocking him out. The other two didn't even notice. Silver decided to leave the captain for last as he wheeled- in the other by the ankle. Silver knocked him out.

The captain made a run for it down the hall and out of the fog to join the other mercenary who was still working on the door. The captain fired everywhere at the ceiling, but he missed Silver every time.

Silver pulled out a throwing knife from his gauntlet and held it by the tip of the blade. He aimed it at the captain and threw it. The blade sore through the air before impaling itself in the man's left forearm. He cried out in pain as he dropped his gun and clutched the blade.

Silver dropped to the ground where he had dropped the smoke grenade. The smoke was clearing enough for the captain to see him as he saw Silver's work. All the mercenaries hung to the metal beams by ropes that Silver tied them too.

The captain pulled his handgun out and aimed at Silver with his good arm. "Come at me!" he taunted. "Come on!"

He started opening fire as Silver ran straight for him. The bullets hit his torso, but the Kevlar armor deflected them. Silver then jumped and ninja kicked the captain in the head sending him against the double doors just as the mercenary who worked on it jumped out of the way.

Silver got in close and used his martial arts to disarm the dazed captain and grabbed his helmet with one hand pulled him back and pushed him hard against the door and he fell to the ground.

The other mercenary who had been working on the door tried to punch Silver by surprise, but Silver stopped his punch by grabbing it with his hand. Silver looked at him as he squeezed it hard and the man got on one knee because of the pain.

Silver then twisted it making him cry out before Silver judo flipped him over his shoulder and onto the ground. Silver knocked him out with a single punch to his head.

The captain got up unsteadily taking out the throwing knife from his arm before he charged Silver who pulled his fist back and punched the man straight in the head, braking his helmet.

Silver pulled his grappling hook and fired. The captain dodged it out of instinct and the hook embedded itself in the double doors behind him. It wheeled-in Silver who brought his feet up to double kick the captain straight through the double doors.

He found himself in the Mayor's office that was smaller than the room he came from. It was square shaped with a sofa to the left and coffee table and windows to the right on either side of double doors that led onto the terrace. In front of Silver was the desk with the mayor himself, who was sitting behind it.

He was the target – a forty-year-old man with slick black hair and dark brown eyes wearing a business suit – He was talking to two other older looking men, also wearing business suits. They stopped to stare wide eyed at Silver.

Silver stood up straight. He reached up and pulled his sword out from his back and flicked it around.

"Wha- who are you?! How did you get in here?!" Silver's target demanded frightened with the two other men standing beside him. "Guards!"

Two men came running from either side of Silver. The latter took them out with the butt of his sword. The two security guards fell to the floor.

The target and the two other men scrambled towards the doors, but before they could open them, Silver took out two throwing knives and threw them. They impaled both men in the leg and they screamed in pain as they fell to the ground clutching their wounds.

Silver turned to look at the frightened mayor in his seat. "You know who Prometheus is!"

"I've heard of him," he said shakily. "But I've nothing to do with him."

"You think people will still vote for you when you've got no teeth left?" Silver asked in a threatening tone. Silver then brought out a recording device from one of his pouches on his belt and played it.

"… I gave you everything I have on Ellia…" the unmistakable voice of the mayor said. "I've held up my end of the bargain and I expect you to do the same."

The recording stopped.

"Ellia! There's the real problem!" the mayor exclaimed. "He's the one you should be after! Every fiber of his being, built on LIES. His status. His fortune."

"You really believe that?"

"I witnessed first-hand the atrocities of his family! And he's the one who profited!"

The target bolted from his chair to the double doors and Silver let him as he ran out the double doors onto the terrace and shut the door behind him. Silver slowly walked to the door where he heard the mayor call his security. "Pick up dammit!"

Silver kicked the doors open sending the mayor against the railing.

"Please! I can give you anything! Just please! Don't kill me!" he begged as Silver stopped in front of him, the tip of his sword touching the begging man's neck. "I've done nothing wrong!"

"Why do a deal with Prometheus?" Silver demanded.

"Because I knew about the asylum! And what was done to those poor people!" he said. "Prometheus wants revenge for what happened to his daughter. Thomas Ellia sent her to the asylum, along with who knows how many innocents! Nothing was wrong with any of them! Until Thomas locked them up."

"Something this big couldn't have been hidden. There'd be records."

"With enough money you can make anything—anyone—disappear. I didn't dare speak up." He swallowed. "Whatever happened in the past, it's nothing compared to what's happening now."

"What do you mean?"

"Prometheus isn't the only one who lost his family to the asylum," he said. "Others have risen just like him and they're going to make Manhattan pay for the sins of the Ellia family."

 _That's why those mercenaries were sent here_ , he thought. _To get the mayor. He was their target too. No doubt sent by Prometheus._

"They'll come for you too," Silver said sheathing his sword on his back before knocking the mayor out with a punch to the man's temple. Silver looked down at the mayor's body. "But not today."


	7. Chapter 7

**Mask Of Joy**

 **Chapter 7**

 **Piper's POV**

Piper soon realized that Annabeth didn't have her heart in the tour.

She showed Piper around all the base, or at least all the levels she could as some needed security clearance that Piper didn't have. Annabeth told Piper all the stuff the base offered like archery, the lava wall, different types of fighting, but she didn't have any excitement in her voice, she seemed to be thinking of other things.

Annabeth explained to Piper how the base was a safe haven to train 'half-bloods' against the terrorist group TITAN that mean them harm. Normally kids stayed here until they knew how to defend themselves and get to go out with a new name, a new identity to be safe.

Piper had a million questions bubbled in her head, but because of Annabeth's mood, she decided to keep quiet.

At one point, Piper felt quite claustrophobic and needed air, so Annabeth led her to the surface on Liberty Island where they had a beautiful view of the sunset reflecting on the Hudson River and New York City skyline to the side.

"The island is off limits to the civilians," Annabeth said as she leaned against the railing next to Piper. "So, we have the island all for ourselves. For now."

"You said we were half-bloods," Piper said. "So my Mom is one of those self-proclaimed gods… right?"

Annabeth nodded. "You're taking this awfully calmly."

Piper shrugged. "It just makes sense. The arguments I'd had with my father about why there were no photos of mom in the house, and why he would never tell me exactly how or why my mom left us." She took a shaky breath. "And after this morning, it's a little easier to believe. So who's my mom?"

"We should know soon," Annabeth reassured her. "You're seventeen, right? You're supposed to be claimed when you're thirteen. That was the deal."

"The deal?" Piper asked.

"After what happened in New York two years ago with the invasion," Annabeth said. "They made a promise not to ignore their children anymore, to claim them by the time they turn thirteen, so that what happened never happens again. Sometimes it takes a little longer, their technology isn't always perfect even though it's way ahead of ours, but you saw how Leo was claimed once he got here. Should happen for you soon. Tonight at the campfire, I bet we'll get a sign."

Piper wondered if she'd have a big flaming hammer over her head, or with her luck, something even more embarrassing. _A flaming wombat, maybe_. Whoever her mother was, Piper had no reason to think she'd be proud to claim a kleptomaniac daughter with massive problems.

"Why thirteen?"

"To have enough time to train you," Annabeth answered. "That's why we send protectors into the schools to find you guys, get you to camp before it's too late."

"Like Coach Hedge?"

Annabeth nodded. "He's job is finding half-bloods, protecting them, bringing them in when the time is right."

She didn't know the coach much as they had only just met this morning, but she hoped he was still alive.

"It'll be okay," Annabeth promised. "You have friends here. We've all been through a lot of weird stuff. We know what you're going through."

 _I doubt about that_ , Piper thought. "I've been kicked out of five different schools the past five years," she said. "My dad's running out of places to put me."

"Only five?" Annabeth didn't sound like she was teasing. "Piper, we've all been labelled troublemakers. I ran away from home when I was seven."

"Seriously?"

"Oh, yeah. Most of us are diagnosed with attention deficit disorder or dyslexia, or both—"

"Leo's ADHD," Piper said.

"Right. It's because we're hardwired for battle. Restless, impulsive—we don't fit in with regular kids. You should hear how much trouble Percy—" Her face darkened. "Anyway, half-bloods get a bad rep. How'd you get in trouble?"

Usually when someone asked that question, Piper started a fight, or changed the subject, or caused some kind of distraction. But for some reason she found herself telling the truth.

"I steal stuff," she said. "Well, not really steal …"

"I don't recall your family being poor."

Piper laughed bitterly. "Not even. I did it … I don't know why. For attention, I guess. My dad never had time for me unless I got in trouble."

Annabeth nodded. "I can relate. But you said you didn't really steal? What do you mean?"

"Well … nobody ever believes me. The police, teachers—even the people I took stuff from: they're so embarrassed, they'll deny what happened. But the truth is, I don't steal anything. I just ask people for things. And they give me stuff. Even a BMW convertible. I just asked. And the dealer said, 'Sure. Take it.' Later, he realized what he'd done, I guess. Then the police came after me."

Piper waited. She was used to people calling her a liar, but when she looked up, Annabeth just nodded. "Interesting. If your dad were the 'god', I'd say you're a child of Mercury, the head of black-market. He can be pretty convincing. But your dad is 'mortal'…"

"Very," Piper agreed.

Annabeth shook her head, apparently mystified. "I don't know, then. With luck, your mom will claim you tonight."

Piper sighed. So much has happened in such a short amount of time. It's like she just entered a whole new world. A dangerous world.

"Come on," Annabeth said at last. "You'll get your answers. But for now, we need to get you settled. You ready to go back down?"

"Yeah," she said. "I'm ready."

 **XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxTIMELAPSExxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

They walked out the circular elevator, to the right a group of campers was playing basketball. They were incredible shots. Nothing bounced off the rim. Three-pointers went in automatically.

"Apollo's cabin," Annabeth explained. "Bunch of show offs with missile weapons—arrows, basketballs."

They walked down the hall, past a central fire pit, where two guys were hacking at each other with swords. "Real blades?" Piper noted. "Isn't that dangerous?"

"That's sort of the point," Annabeth said. "Uh, sorry. Bad pun. That's my cabin over there. Number Six."

She nodded to a grey building with a carved owl over the door. Through the open doorway, Piper could see bookshelves, weapon displays, and one of those computerized SMART Boards they have in classrooms. Two girls were drawing a map that looked like a battle diagram.

"Speaking of blades," Annabeth said, "come here."

She led Piper around to the side of the cabin to a big metal shed that looked like it was meant for gardening tools. Annabeth unlocked it, and inside were not gardening tools, unless you wanted to make war on your tomato plants. The shed was lined with all sorts of weapons—from swords to spears to clubs like Coach Hedge's.

"Every half-blood needs a weapon," Annabeth said. "Vulcan makes the best, but we have a pretty good selection, too. Minerva's all about strategy—matching the right weapon to the right person. Let's see …"

Piper didn't feel much like shopping for deadly objects, but she knew Annabeth was trying to do something nice for her. Annabeth handed her a massive sword, which Piper could hardly lift.

"No," they both said at once.

Annabeth rummaged a little farther in the shed and brought out something else. "A shotgun?" Piper asked. "Mossberg 500."

Annabeth checked the pump action like it was no big deal.

"Um, I don't think that's my style," Piper said.

"Mmm, yeah," Annabeth agreed. "Too flashy."

She put the shotgun back and started poking through a rack of crossbows when something in the corner of the shed caught Piper's eye.

"What is that?" she said. "A knife?"

Annabeth dug it out and blew the dust off the scabbard. It looked like it hadn't seen the light of day in centuries.

"I don't know, Piper." Annabeth sounded uneasy. "I don't think you want this one. Swords are usually better."

"You use a knife." Piper pointed to the one strapped to Annabeth's belt.

"Yeah, but …" Annabeth shrugged. "Well, take a look if you want."

The sheath was worn black leather, bound in bronze. Nothing fancy, nothing flashy. The polished wood handle fit beautifully in Piper's hand. When she unsheathed it, she found a triangular blade eighteen inches long—bronze gleaming like it had been polished yesterday. The edges were deadly sharp. Her reflection in the blade caught her by surprise. She looked older, more serious, not as scared as she felt.

"It suits you," Annabeth admitted. "That kind of blade is called a parazonium. It was mostly ceremonial, carried by high-ranking officers in the Greek armies. It showed you were a person of power and wealth, but in a fight, it could protect you just fine."

"I like it," Piper said. "Why didn't you think it was right?"

Annabeth exhaled. "That blade has a long story. Most people would be afraid to claim it. Its first owner … well, things didn't turn out too well for her. Her name was Helen."

Piper let that sink in. "Wait, you mean the Helen? Helen of Troy?"

Annabeth nodded.

Suddenly Piper felt like she should be handling the dagger with surgical gloves. "And it's just sitting in your tool shed?"

"We're surrounded by Ancient Greek stuff," Annabeth said. "This isn't a museum. Weapons like that—they're meant to be used. They're our heritage as half-bloods. That was a wedding present from Menelaus, Helen's first husband. She named the dagger Katoptris."

"Meaning?"

"Mirror," Annabeth said. "Looking glass. Probably because that's the only thing Helen used it for. I don't think it's ever seen battle."

Piper looked at the blade again. For a moment, her own image stared up at her, but then the reflection changed. She saw flames, and a grotesque face like something carved from bedrock. She heard the same laughter as in her dream. She saw her dad in chains, tied to a post in front of a roaring bonfire. She dropped the blade.

"Piper?" Annabeth shouted to the Apollo kids on the court, "Medic! I need some help over here!"

"No, it's—it's okay," Piper managed.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I just …" She had to control herself. With trembling fingers, she picked up the dagger. "I just got overwhelmed. So much happening today. But … I want to keep the dagger, if that's okay."

Annabeth hesitated. Then she waved off the Apollo kids. "Okay, if you're sure. You turned really pale, there. I thought you were having a seizure or something."

"I'm fine," Piper promised, though her heart was still racing. "Is there … um, a phone at camp? Can I call my dad?"

Annabeth's grey eyes were almost as unnerving as the dagger blade. She seemed to be calculating a million possibilities, trying to read Piper's thoughts.

"Sure," she handed Piper her cell phone.

Piper took it gratefully, trying not to let her hands shake. She stepped away from Annabeth and turned to face the commons area. She called her dad's private line, even though she knew what would happen. Voice mail. She'd been trying for three days, ever since the dream. Wilderness School only allowed phone privileges once a day, but she'd called every evening, and gotten nowhere. Reluctantly she dialled the other number. Her dad's personal assistant answered immediately.

"Mr. McLean's office."

"Jane," Piper said, gritting her teeth. "Where's my dad?"

Jane was silent for a moment, probably wondering if she could get away with hanging up. "Piper, I thought you weren't supposed to call from school."

"Maybe I'm not at school," Piper said. "Maybe I ran away to live among the woodland creatures."

"Mmm." Jane didn't sound concerned. "Well, I'll tell him you called."

"Where is he?"

"Out."

"You don't know, do you?" Piper lowered her voice, hoping Annabeth was too nice to eavesdrop. "When are you going to call the police, Jane? He could be in trouble."

"Piper, we are not going to turn this into a media circus. I'm sure he's fine. He does take off occasionally. He always comes back."

"So it's true. You don't know—"

"I have to go, Piper," Jane snapped. "Enjoy school."

The line went dead. Piper cursed. She walked back to Annabeth and handed her the phone.

"No luck?" Annabeth asked.

Piper didn't answer. She didn't trust herself not to start crying. Annabeth glanced at the phone display and hesitated.

"What does your dad do?"

"He's got a degree in the arts," Piper said automatically. "He's a Cherokee artist."

Her standard response. Not a lie, just not the whole truth. Most people, when they heard that, figured her dad sold Indian souvenirs at a roadside stand on a reservation. Sitting Bull bobble-heads, wampum necklaces, Big Chief tablets—that kind of thing.

"Oh." Annabeth didn't look convinced, but she put the phone away. "You feeling okay? Want to keep going?"

Piper fastened her new dagger to her belt and promised herself that later, when she was alone, she'd figure out how it worked.

"Sure," she said. "I want to see everything."

All the cabins were cool, but none of them struck Piper as hers. No burning signs—wombats or otherwise—appeared over her head. Cabin Eight was entirely silver and glowed like moonlight.

They passed the next cabin, Number Ten, which was decorated like a Barbie house with lace curtains, a pink door, and potted carnations in the windows. They walked by the doorway, and the smell of perfume almost made Piper gag.

"Gah, is that where supermodels go to die?"

Annabeth smirked. "Venus' cabin. The 'Goddess of love'. Drew is the head counsellor."

"Figures," Piper grumbled.

"They're not all bad," Annabeth said. "The last head counsellor we had was great."

"What happened to her?"

Annabeth's expression darkened. "We should keep moving."

They looked at the other cabins, but Piper just got more depressed. She wondered if she could be the daughter of Ceres, the 'farming goddess'. Then again, Piper killed every plant she ever touched. Minerva was cool. Or maybe Trivia, the 'magic goddess'. But it didn't really matter. Even here, where everyone was supposed to find a lost parent, she knew she would still end up the unwanted kid. She was not looking forward to the campfire tonight.

"We started with the Great Council 'gods'," Annabeth explained. "Male gods on the left, female on the right. Then last year, we added a whole bunch of new cabins for the other gods who didn't have thrones on Olympus—"

"What are the two big ones on the end?" Piper asked.

Annabeth frowned. "Jupiter and Juno. King and queen of the Great Council."

Piper headed that way, and Annabeth followed, though she didn't act very excited. The Jupiter cabin reminded Piper of a bank. It was white marble with big columns out front and polished bronze doors emblazoned with lightning bolts.

Juno's cabin was smaller but done in the same style, except the doors were carved with peacock feather designs, shimmering in different colours. Unlike the other cabins, which were all noisy and open and full of activity, the Jupiter and Juno cabins looked closed and silent.

"Are they empty?" Piper asked.

Annabeth nodded. "Jupiter went a long time without having any children. Well, mostly. Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto, the eldest brothers among the Great Council —they're called the Big Three.

"And Juno?" Piper looked at the peacock-decorated doors. The cabin bothered her, though she wasn't sure why.

"'Goddess of marriage'." Annabeth's tone was carefully controlled, like she was trying to avoid cursing. "She doesn't have kids with anyone but Jupiter. So, yeah, no half-bloods. The cabin's just honorary."

"You don't like her," Piper noticed.

"We have history," Annabeth admitted. "It's probably better I don't talk about it. I've got nothing good to say about Juno right now."

Piper looked down the base of the doors. "So who goes in here?"

"No one. The cabin is just honorary, like I said. No one goes in."

"Someone does." Piper pointed at a footprint on the dusty threshold. On instinct, she pushed the doors and they swung open easily.

Annabeth stepped back. "Um, Piper, I don't think we should—"

"We're supposed to do dangerous stuff, right?" And Piper walked inside. Juno's cabin was not someplace Piper would want to live. It was as cold as a freezer, with a circle of white columns around a central statue of the goddess, ten feet tall, seated on a throne in flowing golden robes. It was brightly painted so it looked almost human—except huge. Juno's piercing eyes seemed to follow Piper.

At the goddess's feet, a fire burned in a bronze brazier. Piper wondered who tended it if the cabin was always empty. A stone hawk sat on Juno's shoulder, and in her hand was a staff topped with a lotus flower. The goddess's hair was done in black plaits. Her face smiled, but the eyes were cold and calculating, as if she were saying: _Mother knows best. Now don't cross me or I will have to step on you_.

There was nothing else in the cabin—no beds, no furniture, no bathroom, no windows, nothing that anyone could actually use to live. For a goddess of home and marriage, Juno's place reminded Piper of a tomb. No, this wasn't her mom. At least Piper was sure of that. She wasn't exactly why she entered but—

She froze. They weren't alone. Behind the statue, at a little altar in the back, stood a figure covered in a black shawl. Only her hands were visible, palms up. She seemed to be chanting something.

Annabeth gasped. "R.E.D.?"

The figure turned. She dropped her shawl, and Piper's eyes widened. It was a robot with a humanoid figure. It was made of bronze. The had two blue eyes and a straight line for the mouth. It was also more of a 'she' as the body had the shape of that of a woman's.

"Hey!" She ran to give Annabeth a hug. "I'm so sorry! I came as fast as I could."

They talked for a few minutes about Annabeth's family and how there was no news, et cetera, until finally Annabeth remembered Piper, who was standing there feeling uncomfortable.

"I'm being rude," Annabeth apologized. "R.E.D., this is Piper, one of the half-bloods we rescued today. Piper, this is R.E.D., our oracle."

"Your friend is a robot?" Piper asked.

"An A.I." Annabeth said.

R.E.D.'s mouth opened to show rows of teeth. Piper guessed she was grinning. "That's me."

"So you're an oracle?" Piper asked. "You can tell the future?"

"More like the future mugs me from time to time," R.E.D. said. "I speak prophecies. I kind of get hijacked every once in a while and speaks important stuff that doesn't make any sense to anybody. But yeah, the prophecies tell the future."

"Oh." Piper shifted from foot to foot. "That's cool."

R.E.D. laughed. "Don't worry. Everybody finds it a little creepy. Even me. But usually I'm harmless."

"Um what are you …" Piper waved her hand around the room. R.E.D.'s smile faded. She glanced at Annabeth, then back at Piper.

"Just a hunch. Something about this cabin. I've learned to follow my hunches, especially the last month, since the 'gods' went silent."

"Went silent?" Piper asked.

R.E.D.'s metallic eyebrows came down in a frown at Annabeth. "You haven't told her yet?"

"I was getting to that," Annabeth said. "Piper, for the last month … well, it's normal for the 'gods' not to talk to their children very much, but usually we can count on some messages now and then. Some of us can even visit Olympus. I spent practically all semester at the Empire State Building."

"Excuse me?"

"The entrance to Mount Olympus these days."

"Oh," Piper said. "Sure, why not?"

"Annabeth was redesigning Olympus after it was damaged in the Titan War," R.E.D. explained. "She's an amazing architect. You should see the salad bar—"

"Anyway," Annabeth said, "starting about a month ago, Olympus fell silent. The entrance closed, and no one could get in. Nobody knows why. It's like the 'gods' have sealed themselves off. Even my mom won't answer me and our camp director, Dionysus, was recalled.

"Half-bloods still get claimed, but nothing else. No messages. No visits. No sign the 'gods' are even listening. It's like something has happened —something really bad."

"And Reyna showed up at Jason's doorstep," Piper supplied.

"Who's Jason?" R.E.D. asked.

"My friend. But Annabeth, you said Juno sent you a message."

"Right," Annabeth said. "The first communication from a 'god' in a month, and it's Juno, the least helpful goddess, and she contacts me, her least favourite half-blood and it doesn't make sense. It's encrypted. I was hoping R.E.D. could read it, but no luck so far."

"Something bad is happening," R.E.D. agreed.

Before she could continue, R.E.D.'s body stiffened. Her eyes began to glow with a greenish light, and she grabbed Piper by the shoulders. Piper tried to back away, but R.E.D.'s hands were like steel clamps.

 _Free me_ , she said. But it wasn't R.E.D.'s voice. It sounded like an old woman, speaking from somewhere far away, down a long, echoing pipe. _Free me, Piper McLean, or the earth shall swallow us. It must be by the solstice_.

The room started spinning. Annabeth tried to separate Piper from R.E.D., but it was no use. Green smoke enveloped them, and Piper was no longer sure if she was awake or dreaming. The giant statue of the goddess seemed to rise from its throne. It leaned over Piper, its eyes boring into her. The statue's mouth opened, its breath like horribly thick perfume. It spoke in the same echoing voice: _Our enemies stir. The fiery one is only the first. Bow to his will, and their king shall rise, dooming us all. FREE ME!_

Piper's knees buckled, and everything went black.


	8. Chapter 8

**Mask Of Joy**

 **Chapter 8**

 **Leo's POV**

Leo's tour was going great until he learned about the dragon.

The surfer dude, Will Solace, seemed pretty cool. Everything he showed Leo was so amazing, it should've been illegal. _Hightech warships moored underwater that sometimes had practice fights with flaming arrows and explosives? Sweet!_ _Arts & crafts sessions where you could make sculptures with chain saws and blowtorches?_ Leo was like, _Sign me up!_

And the base was overflowing with fine-looking girls. Leo didn't quite understand the whole related-to-the-gods business, but he hoped that didn't mean he was cousins with all these ladies. That would suck.

Will showed him the cabins, the dining pavilion, and the sword arena.

"Do I get a sword?" Leo asked.

Will glanced at him like he found the idea disturbing. "You'll probably make your own, seeing as how you're in Cabin Nine."

"Yeah, what's up with that? Vulcan?"

"Your dad is the 'god' of blacksmiths and fire."

 _The god of fire … seriously_? Considering what had happened to his mom, that seemed like a sick joke.

"So the flaming hammer over my head," Leo said. "Good thing, or bad thing?"

Will took a while to answer. "You were claimed almost immediately. That's usually good."

"But that Rainbow Pony dude, Butch—he mentioned a curse."

"Ah … look, it's nothing. Since Cabin Nine's last head counselor died—"

"Died? Like, painfully?"

"I ought to let your bunkmates tell you about it."

"Yeah, where are my home dawgs? Shouldn't their counselor be giving me the VIP tour?"

"He, um, can't. You'll see why." Will forged ahead before Leo could ask anything else.

"Curses and death," Leo said to himself. "This just gets better and better."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxTimelapsexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

He was halfway across the fake grass covered floor when he spotted his old babysitter. And she was not the kind of person he expected to see at a secret underwater base.

Leo froze in his tracks.

"What's wrong?" Will asked.

 _Tía Callida—Auntie Callida_. That's what she'd called herself, but Leo hadn't seen her since he was five years old. She was just standing there, in the shadow of a big white cabin at the end of the green, watching him. She wore her black linen widow's dress, with a black shawl pulled over her hair. Her face hadn't changed—leathery skin, piercing dark eyes. Her withered hands were like claws. She looked ancient, but no different than Leo remembered.

"That old lady …" Leo said. "What's she doing here?"

Will tried to follow his gaze. "What old lady?"

"Dude, _the_ old lady. The one in black. How many old ladies do you see over there?"

Will frowned. "I think you've had a long day, Leo. How about we head straight to your cabin now?"

Leo wanted to protest, but when he looked back toward the big white cabin, Tía Callida was gone. He was sure she'd been there, almost as if thinking about his mom had summoned Callida back from the past.

And that wasn't good, because Tía Callida had tried to kill him.

"Just messing with you, man." Leo pulled some gears and levers from his pockets and started fiddling with them to calm his nerves. He couldn't have everybody at camp thinking he was crazy. At least, not crazier than he really was.

"Let's go see Cabin Nine," he said. "I'm in the mood for a good curse."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxTimelapsexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

From the outside, the Vulcan cabin looked like an oversize RV with shiny metal walls and metal-slatted windows. The entrance was like a bank vault door, circular and several feet thick. It opened with lots of brass gears turning and hydraulic pistons blowing smoke.

Leo whistled. "They got a steampunk theme going on, huh?"

Inside, the cabin seemed deserted. Steel bunks were folded against the walls like high-tech Murphy beds. Each had a digital control panel, blinking LED lights, glowing gems, and interlocking gears. Leo figured each camper had his own combination lock to release his bed, and there was probably an alcove behind it with storage, maybe some traps to keep out unwanted visitors. At least, that's the way Leo would've designed it. A fire pole came down from the second floor, even though the cabin didn't appear to have a second floor from the outside. A circular staircase led down into some kind of basement. The walls were lined with every kind of power tool Leo could imagine, plus a huge assortment of knives, swords, and other implements of destruction. A large workbench overflowed with scrap metal—screws, bolts, washers, nails, rivets, and a million other machine parts. Leo had a strong urge to shovel them all into his coat pockets. He loved that kind of stuff. But he'd need a hundred more coats to fit it all in.

Looking around, he could almost imagine he was back in his mom's machine shop. Not the weapons, maybe—but the tools, the piles of scrap, the smell of grease and metal and hot engines. She would've loved this place.

He pushed that thought away. He didn't like painful memories. _Keep moving_ —that was his motto. _Don't dwell on things. Don't stay in one place too long_. It was the only way to stay ahead of the sadness.

He picked a long implement from the wall. "A weed whacker? What's the 'god' of fire want with a weed whacker?"

A voice in the shadows said, "You'd be surprised."

At the back of the room, one of the bunk beds was occupied. A curtain of dark camouflage material retracted, and Leo could see the guy who'd been invisible a second before. It was hard to tell much about him because he was covered in a body cast. His head was wrapped in gauze except for his face, which was puffy and bruised. He looked like the Pillsbury Doughboy after a beat-down.

"I'm Jake Mason," the guy said. "I'd shake your hand, but …"

"Yeah," Leo said. "Don't get up."

The guy cracked a smile, then winced like it hurt to move his face. Leo wondered what had happened to him, but he was afraid to ask.

"Welcome to Cabin Nine," Jake said. "Been almost a year since we had any new kids. I'm head counselor for now."

"For now?" Leo asked.

Will Solace cleared his throat. "So where is everybody, Jake?"

"Down at the forges," Jake said wistfully. "They're working on … you know, that problem."

"Oh." Will changed the subject. "So, you got a spare bed for Leo?"

Jake studied Leo, sizing him up. "You believe in curses, Leo? Or ghosts?"

 _I just saw my evil babysitter Tía Callida_ , Leo thought. _She's got to be dead after all these years. And I can't go a day without remembering my mom in that machine shop fire. Don't talk to me about ghosts, doughboy_.

But aloud, he said, "Ghosts? Pfft. Nah. I'm cool."

Jake nodded. "That's good. Because I'll give you the best bed in the cabin—Beckendorf's."

"Whoa, Jake," Will said. "You sure?"

Jake called out: "Bunk 1-A, please."

The whole cabin rumbled. A circular section of the floor spiraled open like a camera lens, and a full-size bed popped up. The bronze frame had a built-in game station at the footboard, a stereo system in the headboard, a glass-door refrigerator mounted into the base, and a whole bunch of control panels running down the side.

Leo jumped right in and lay back with arms behind his head. "I can handle this."

"It retracts into a private room below," Jake said.

"Oh, heck, yes," Leo said. "See y'all. I'll be down in the Leo Cave. Which button do I press?"

"Hold on," Will Solace protested. "You guys have private underground rooms?"

Jake probably would've smiled if it didn't hurt so much. "We got lots of secrets, Will. You Apollo guys can't have all the fun. Anyway, Leo, if you don't mind sleeping in a dead man's bed, it's yours."

Suddenly Leo didn't feel like kicking back. He sat up, careful not to touch any of the buttons. "The counselor who died—this was his bed?"

"Yeah," Jake said. "Charles Beckendorf."

Leo imagined saw blades coming through the mattress, or maybe a grenade sewn inside the pillows. "He didn't, like, _die_ in this bed, did he?"

"No," Jake said. "In the TITAN War, two years ago."

"The TITAN War," Leo repeated, "which has nothing to do with this very fine bed?"

"The TITANs," Will said, like Leo was an idiot. "The big powerful terrorist organization. They tried to make a comeback two years ago. Their leader, Kronos, led an army of machines to New York and almost destroyed Mount Olympus. A lot of agents, half-bloods, died trying to stop them."

"I'm guessing this wasn't on the news?" Leo said.

It seemed like a fair question, but Will shook his head in disbelief. "The whole city was asleep, machines everywhere, buildings destroyed."

Leo shrugged. "Guess I was busy."

"Doesn't matter," Jake said. "You were lucky to miss it. The thing is, Beckendorf was one of the casualties, and ever since then—"

"Your cabin's been cursed," Leo guessed.

Jake didn't answer. Then again, the dude was in a body cast. That was an answer. Leo started noticing little things that he hadn't seen before—an explosion mark on the wall, a stain on the floor that might've been oil … or blood. Broken swords and smashed machines kicked into the corners of the room, maybe out of frustration. The place did feel unlucky.

Jake sighed halfheartedly. "Well, I should get some sleep. I hope you like it here, Leo. It used to be … really nice."

He closed his eyes, and the camouflage curtain drew itself across the bed.

"Come on, Leo," Will said. "I'll take you to the forges."

As they were leaving, Leo looked back at his new bed, and he could almost imagine a dead counselor sitting there—another ghost who wasn't going to leave Leo alone.


End file.
